1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of water closets, and to the particular field of control of water flowing to a water closet.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Water damage is generally one of the most costly and devastating events that can occur to a homeowner or to someone who owns property. One source of such damage is leaking pipes, another source is water intrusion from outside and yet another source of water damage is associated with overflow of drains.
One source of water is a toilet unit. Toilet units have various seals that may rupture or leak which may provide a path for water to flow out of the toilet unit. Still further, people often throw objects into a toilet that will clog the toilet and prevent water from flowing out of the toilet bowl in a proper manner. Flushing a clogged toilet may cause the toilet to overflow.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a toilet control system which prevents overflow from the toilet bowl.
The art contains many examples of alarms and the like that are intended to warn a person that water is present and thus warn a person that conditions exist in which water damage can occur. While these alarms are helpful, they do not minimize the damage, they only warn that it may occur. That is, if water is flowing onto a floor, the alarm merely alerts someone of the presence of water, it does not initiate steps to minimize the damage associated with water.
Therefore, there is a further need to provide a toilet control system which prevents overflow from the toilet bowl and which prevents water from being supplied to the bowl once water level in the bowl reaches a potentially overflowing location.
Once a toilet has been repaired, it can be safely operated. However, until such repair has been effected, it is risky to continue using a clogged toilet.
Accordingly, there is a need for a means for preventing use of a toilet that has the potential of overflowing until after the toilet has received attention.
Therefore, there is a further need to provide a toilet control system which prevents overflow from the toilet bowl which will prevent water from being supplied to a toilet bowl after the water has reached a potentially overflowing location until after a re-set switch has been activated.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a toilet control system which prevents overflow from the toilet bowl.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toilet control system which prevents overflow from the toilet bowl and which prevents water from being supplied to the bowl once water level in the bowl reaches a potentially overflowing location.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toilet control system which prevents overflow from the toilet bowl which will prevent water from being supplied to a toilet bowl after the water has reached a potentially overflowing location until after a re-set switch has been activated.
These, and other, objects are achieved by a control system which includes a sensor mounted on a bowl of a toilet near a top rim of the bowl and which is connected to a control valve unit which is fluidically interposed between a water supply tank and the bowl of the toilet. The control valve unit is normally open to permit flow of water from the water supply tank to the bowl, but is closed when water is sensed near the rim of the bowl to prevent further flow of water to the bowl from the water supply tank.
Thus, once water begins to reach a location in the toilet bowl from which that water can overflow, water being supplied to the toilet bowl from the water storage tank of the toilet is stopped. No further water will be supplied to the toilet bowl until a re-set button on the control valve unit is activated, generally manually. This re-set button will not be activated until the problem causing the overflow is corrected.
The toilet control system embodying the present invention prevents toilet water from overflowing the toilet bowl and prevents further water damage if water begins to overflow.